Sectional toy



Nov. 1, 1949. T. L. BoNKowsKl ET AL 2,486,550L

SECTIONAL TOY Filed Feb. 12, i949 l z'sheets-sheet 1 wfw ' @Umm/5%? Nov. 1, 1949. Tl 1 .BoNKowsKl ErAL 2,435,550

sEcTIoNAL- To?!v Filed Feb. 12, 1949 2 sheets-sheen 2 BY 5M@ HTTOENEVS Patented Nov. l, 1949 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SECTION AL TOY Teol L. Bonkowski and Harry Solloway, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application February 12, 1949, Serial No. 76,'1'02 provide a sectional toy in which a common torsoor body piece may be used in connection with many arm,=leg,1headand tail attachments to simulatediiferent animal formsand figures.

Among the more detailed objects of our invention are to provide a sectional toy of this type whichis easily and readily assembled without the use of bolts o-rlother-separate fastening elements,

which is entertaining and easy to manipulate.

-which is susceptible of great numbers of combinations and arrangements to produce faithful representations of animals or grotesque or amusing caricatures.

It is also among the objects of our invention to provide a sectional toy of this type which will form animals capable of standing .erect on ailat surface and which may have a high vdegree of lateral .stability provided by diverging legs.

It is a further object of our invention 'to Iprovidefa toy of this type having articulated joints so that the animals and figures formed by the .various parts may be depicted in various attitudes, standing, sitting, etc.

An additional `object is to provide a sectional toy which may be economically manufactured in quantity.

-Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure lis aperspective view of a torso or body member for a sectional toy embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the lines 3 3 as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing in outline a rocking horse and rider constructed with parts made in accordance with our invention.

Figure 5 is a similar view showingfa giraffe.

Figure 6 is a similar view showing an alligator.

Figure '7 is a perspective view showing the rocker assembly employed with the horse in .Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a front elevation partly in section showing a modied form of torso or body member.

Figure 9 is a view partly in section showing details of construction of one of the leg joints.

Referring to the drawings, the .body or torso member generally designated lIII is preferably formed .to includeafpairof parallel plates rII fand I2 which are arranged to dene a continuous peripheral slot I3. The entrance opening into the slot Amay be enlarged as shown at I4 by bevelling the outer edges of the plates or by abending them as shown. A spacer element -I 5 is tpositioned between the plates and 'defines -the inner extremity-of the continuous slot I3.

At opposed ends of the -elongated body or torso member I0 are .positioned symmetrical pairs of laterally extending projections I6, Il, vI8 and I9. At the outero-r extending vends of each of these projections is a pair of circular plate elements 20 and 2I defining a continuous peripheral groove 22 therebetween. The circular elements 20 and 2-I are `spaced by a central washer 23. The-entrance opening into kthe peripheral groove may be bevelled as shown at .-24 in -a manner similar to that described for the entrance opening tothe slot I3 between the plates II and I2. A tubular retainer 25 yextends axially through each pair of projections and serves tomaintain each pair in assembled relationship with respect to the elongated body member IU. This retainer 25 is provided with a flange .26 on eachend to maintain .the parts in assembled relationship. While it is contemplated that the plates II and I2 and the circular plates 20 and 2|, as well as the .spacer I5 and washers 23, may be made of plastic material, .any other suitable or desirable material may be used. Furthermore, certain of the separate parts may be formed integrally and it may be desirable .to form the projections .of .relatively thin wall tubular material. The body or torso member vIII need not be elongated as shown but may be vof any other suitable shape with the .pairsof projections I6, I1, I8 and I9 adjacent opposededges.

The continuous peripheral slot I3 is adapted` to receive auxiliary elements such as head or tail pieces simulating animals or other gures .or other auxiliary elements such as 5I of Fig. 4. As shown in Figure 4 the horses head 21 and horses tail 28 are received within the groove I 3 and retained by friction. The head`21 and tail 28 are formed of at sheet stock and are easily inserted into 'the bevelled portion I4 of the groove I3. In a similar way the giraffe head 29 and giraffe tail `30 may be inserted into the continuous groove I 3 as shown in Figure. Various other heads and tails may be likewise received in the groove I3. As shown in Figure 6 the head 3| and tail 32 of an alligator may be mounted on the torso member I0. The lateral oiset gripping rings generally designated `3-3 .are;formed :by .the .cooperating pairs of circular elements 20 and 2|, and these gripping, rings act as the shoulder joints and hip joints for the various animals and gures.

Leg strips 34 and 35 are adapted to be received by the oiset gripping rings 33 and to extend in any desired direction. Leg joints 36 are provided for connecting additional lengths of leg strips in order to simulate the upper and lower portion of legs of various animals. Thus as shown in Figure 4 the leg joints 36 connect the upper leg strips 34 and 35 to the lower leg strips 31 and 38 respectively. As shown in Figure 9 the leg joints 36 may each be composed of a pair of dished or bevelled disks 39 secured in spaced relationship by means of a fastener 46. These leg joints 36 are similar in manyrespects to the offset gripping rings 33. Additional leg joints 3-6 may be placed at the lower ends of the leg strips 31 and 38. The groove 4| provided on each of the leg joints receive the leg strips in frictional relationship so that the parts are easy to assemble and disassemble and yet remain securely connected so that a rigid structure is obtained. The horse shown in Figure 4 may rest on a level surface supported by the pairs of leg strips 31 and 38, or as shown in the drawings additional joints 36 may be attached to the lower ends of the strips 31 and 38. If desired rocker strips 42 may be engaged with the lower joints 36 so that the horse may rock to and fro on the strips 42. Transverse connection pieces 43 may be used if desired to act as horizontal braces extending between the parallel rocker strips 42.

When the body or torso unit I 6 is used in constructing an alligator, such as for example as shown in Figure 6, short leg strips 44 and 45 may be employed and directed at the desired angle, and if desired connection joints 36 may be mounted on the extending ends of the leg strips.

In a similar way leg strips 46 and 41 may be employed in connection with joints 36 to form the giraffe as shown in Figure 5. In each of the three gures described the animals are able to stand upright on a level surface because of the spacing of the legs to form a firm support.

As shown in Figure 4 the torso unit l0V may be used to form a human gure, in this case that of a clown. The clown head 48 is received within the peripheral slot i3 while the arm strips 49 and leg strips 56 are secured to the offset gripping rings 33. The knee and elbow joints are formed by members 3G and in similar manner the joints 36 may be used to simulate the parts of the foot. rIhe clown ligure may be mounted on the back of the horse gure, and if desired may be attached thereto by means oi a flat connection strip i which is received within the peripheral slots I3 on both the clown torso and body of the horse. Since the leg strips may be attached to the oiset gripping rings at any point on the periphery of the latter, and since the connection joints 36 permit wide variation of positions of the leg strips joined by them, the animals or other figures may be constructed in a standing position or may be caricatured in kneeling positions. The grooves 24 of the offset gripping rings 3.2'. at opposed ends of the body l0 are aligned so that the rockers 42 may be attached directly to the body or torso i6 if desired.

In the modified form of our invention shown in Figure 8 the oiset gripping rings 60 are formed by bosses 6l molded integrally with the plates 62 and B3, and by cooperating disks 68 attached by rivets 64. The disks and bosses cooperate to provide a conical groove 65 rather man the circular groove shown in the other figures. The cones of adjacent pairs of gripping rings are coaxially positioned and are arranged so that the groove or recess 65 diverges outwardly away from the plates 62 and 63. The leg strips 66 which are received within the recesses 65 accordingly diverge so that their lower ends are spread to form a iirm support for the figure toy. The same form of connection joints 36 may be employed in this form of our invention, and any of the head and tail units may be received within the continuous peripheral groove 61. Two pairs of offset gripping rings 60 are provided on the plates 62 and 63 in the manner shown in connection with the other figures.

Having fully described our invention, it is to be understood that we do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but our invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a sectional gure toy, a body or torso member provided with a continuous longitudinal peripheral slot for reception of auxiliary elements; first and second spaced pairs of aligned symmetrical projections extending laterally from the body member and positioned near opposed edges thereof; and pairs of circular parts on the extending ends of each of the projections forming continuous peripheral grooves for reception of auxiliary elements.

2. In a sectional figure toy, a body member comprising a pair of spaced parallel plates dening a continuous longitudinal peripheral slot therebetween for reception of auxiliary elements; a first pair of aligned symmetrical projections extending laterally from the plates and positioned near one edge of the body member; a second pair of aligned symmetrical projections extending laterally from the plates and positioned near another edge of the body member; and cooperating pairs of circular parts on the extending ends of each of the projections forming continuous peripheral grooves for reception of auxiliary elements.

3. In a sectional figure toy, a body member comprising a pair of spaced parallel plates defining a continuous longitudinal peripheral slot therebetween for reception of auxiliary elements; a rst pair of aligned symmetrical projections extending laterally from the plates and positioned near one edge of the body member; a second pair of aligned symmetrical projections extending laterally from the plates and positioned near another edge of the body member; and cooperating parts on the extending ends of each of the projections forming continuous peripheral grooves for reception of auxiliary elements, the grooves each being parallel to the slot between the plates.

4. In a sectional gure toy, a body member comprising a pair of spaced parallel plates deining a continuous longitudinal peripheral slot therebetween for reception of auxiliary elements; a first pair of aligned symmetrical projections extending laterally from the plates and positioned near one edge of the body member; a second pair of aligned symmetrical projections extending laterally from the plates and positioned near another edge of the body member; and cooperating parts on the extending ends of each of the projections forming a conical recess with a continuous peripheral entrance opening for reception of auxiliary elements at any point on the periphery thereof, the recesses on each symmetrical pair of projections being co-axially positioned and diverging outwardly away from the body member.

5. In a sectional figure toy, the combination of a body or torso member provided with, a continuous longitudinal peripheral slot; auxiliary elements insertable into the slot and retained in position by friction alone; rst and second spaced pairs of aligned symmetrical projections extending laterally from the body member and positioned near opposed edges thereof; cooperating parts on the extending ends of each of the projections forming continuous peripheral grooves; and an auxiliary element insertable into each of said grooves at any point on the peripheral thereof and retained in position by friction alone.

6. In a sectional figure toy, the combination of a body or torso member provided with a continuous longitudinal peripheral slot; auxiliary elements insertable into the slot and retained in position by friction alone; rst and second spaced pairs of aligned symmetrical projections extending laterally from the body member and positioned near opposed edgesthereof; cooperating parts on the extending ends of each of the projections forming conical recesses with continuous peripheral entrance openings, the recesses on each symmetrical pair of projections being coaxially positioned and diverging outwardly from the body member; and an auxiliary element insertable into each conical recess at any point on the periphery thereof and retained in position by friction alone. i

7. In a sectional gure toy, a body member comprising a pair of spaced parallel plates defining a continuous longitudinalV peripheral slot therebetween for reception of auxiliary elements, nach plate having a pair of spaced laterally extending projections formed integrally therewith, and a cooperating part on the extending end of each of the projections, each projection andits respective cooperating part forming a conical recess with a continuous peripheral entrance opening, each entrance opening being adapted to receive auxiliary elements at any point on the periphery thereof and to maintain the arm and leg elements at an angle to the plane of said slot. TEOFIL L. BONKOWSKI. HARRY SOLLOWAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STTES PATENTS 53,919 Denmark Nov. 8, 1936 

